Sebastian Giovinco is to join Toronto FC this summer in a deal that will reportedly make him not only the highest paid player in the MLS, but also the highest paid Italian player anywhere.

The Toronto Sun reported that the playmaker had lined up a five-year deal worth more than $7 million a year. If that figure is accurate, Giovinco’s total renumeration would allow him to surpass Orlando City’s Kaka as the highest-paid player in MLS.

Kaka has a base wage of $6.6 million with a total salary of $7.17 million. The Sun reported that the additional guaranteed money on top of Giovinco’s contract would give him a total compensation between $7-8 million (up to €6,9 million).

That Toronto FC have asigned Giovinco, an Italian international in the prime of his career, is a sign of the growing financial muscle of the MLS and a corresponding weakening of Serie A.

The previous highest paid Italian footballer was Daniel De Rossi who picks up €6.5 million a year. Behind him come 2 World Cup winners from 2006 who are still plying their trade in Serie A: Juve’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who earns €4 million and Roma’s veteran forward, Francesco Totti, who takes home €4. 5million.

Giovinco is currently on a not inconsiderable €2.2 million a year at Juventus, a salary that would make him the highest paid player on 14 of Serie A’s teams (see below). But, significantly, still less than a third of what Toronto FC are offering him.

Atalanta: German Denis: €1.2 million
Cagliari: Daniele Conti: €800,000
Cesena: Guido Marilungo: €400,000
Chievo Verona: Alberto Paloschi: €700,000
Empoli: Francesco Tavano: €300,000
Genoa: Alessandro Matri: €1 million
Hellas Verona: Luca Toni: €1 million
Lazio: Miroslav Klose: €2
Palermo: Stefano Sorrentino: €900,000
Parma: Antonio Cassano: €1.5
Sampdoria: Sergio Romero: €1.7
Sassuolo: Domenico Berardi: €1.1 million
Torino: Fabio Quagliarella: €750,000
Udinese: Antonio Di Natale: €1.3 million